Origin
As the stories have been told from the research of so many archaelogists investigating prehistory of Andean civilization for well over a century, and please note these particular stories are retold from the many stories proposed in various books and internet articles, very little is understood in actual detail of the Guinea Pig, unlike other domestic animals. It is safe to assume the Guinea Pig (Known as the Cuy in South America) originated in the Andes in South America. In fact as a food source, and not as a companion as it is more commonly known worldwide today? From earlier research based on blochemistry and hybridization it has been thought that Guinea Pigs have been domesticated from the descendants of a specific strain of Cavia, the Cavia aperea, and this is where the story gets pretty tricky, as they are not considered a wild species.
More modern recent research suggests that the Guinea Pigs are most likely ancestors of the Cavia tschudii possibly meaning that its origin does stem back to the wilds of South America. Recently reading tells that early Guinea pigs after domestication have become feral when being reintroduced to the wild and that is why there are so many domesticated / wild variants found in South America today.
As the stories have been told from the research of so many archaelogists investigating prehistory of Andean civilization for well over a century, and please note these particular stories are retold from the many stories proposed in various books and internet articles, very little is understood in actual detail of the Guinea Pig, unlike other domestic animals. It is safe to assume the Guinea Pig (Known as the Cuy in South America) originated in the Andes in South America. In fact as a food source, and not as a companion as it is more commonly known worldwide today? From earlier research based on blochemistry and hybridization it has been thought that Guinea Pigs have been domesticated from the descendants of a specific strain of Cavia, the Cavia aperea, and this is where the story gets pretty tricky, as they are not considered a wild species.
More modern recent research suggests that the Guinea Pigs are most likely ancestors of the Cavia tschudii possibly meaning that its origin does stem back to the wilds of South America. Recently reading tells that early Guinea pigs after domestication have become feral when being reintroduced to the wild and that is why there are so many domesticated / wild variants found in South America today.
History
As we are told the history of the guinea pig in South American communities goes back from 5000 to 7 000 years ago when the Guinea Pig was first domesticated. The Guinea Pig has such intriguing stories to tell with so many interesting twists, as not only having been the main purpose of a food source to the South Americans, but also filling the needs in spiritual religious ceremonies, and even transcending mere mortal purposes to finding themselves being used as traditional medicine to various South American communities.
With mans incessant need to worship, the Moche people of ancient Peru and even as way back as the Inca’s worshipped many different animals. The Guinea Pig being one of them, and this is shown in their works of art, where you will find them the guinea Pig being portrayed as various forms of deity.
Guinea Pigs became known to the western world when Spanish, English and Dutch traders brought them back from the New World with them to Europe, where with no surprise Guinea Pigs as exotic pets, soon became very popular all through Europe, especially amoung the upper classes and royalty, with the greatest of these being the Queen of England herself, Queen Elizabeth I.
Early accounts written or in art forms that we still have access to today date back to the 1500’s. In the National portrait Gallery in London you can see the earliest known illustration of a domestic guinea pig in a painting dated 1580, which illustrates three kids holding their pets and the little girl is holding a tortie Guinea Pig in her hands. This picture dates from the same period as the oldest recorded guinea pig remains in England, which is a partial cavy skeleton found at Hill Hall (Essex), an Elizabethan manor house, and dated to around 1575.
It is recorded that was way back as 1532 when selective breeding started, this began the result in the many varieties domestic guinea pig breeds that are known today.
As we are told the history of the guinea pig in South American communities goes back from 5000 to 7 000 years ago when the Guinea Pig was first domesticated. The Guinea Pig has such intriguing stories to tell with so many interesting twists, as not only having been the main purpose of a food source to the South Americans, but also filling the needs in spiritual religious ceremonies, and even transcending mere mortal purposes to finding themselves being used as traditional medicine to various South American communities.
With mans incessant need to worship, the Moche people of ancient Peru and even as way back as the Inca’s worshipped many different animals. The Guinea Pig being one of them, and this is shown in their works of art, where you will find them the guinea Pig being portrayed as various forms of deity.
Guinea Pigs became known to the western world when Spanish, English and Dutch traders brought them back from the New World with them to Europe, where with no surprise Guinea Pigs as exotic pets, soon became very popular all through Europe, especially amoung the upper classes and royalty, with the greatest of these being the Queen of England herself, Queen Elizabeth I.
Early accounts written or in art forms that we still have access to today date back to the 1500’s. In the National portrait Gallery in London you can see the earliest known illustration of a domestic guinea pig in a painting dated 1580, which illustrates three kids holding their pets and the little girl is holding a tortie Guinea Pig in her hands. This picture dates from the same period as the oldest recorded guinea pig remains in England, which is a partial cavy skeleton found at Hill Hall (Essex), an Elizabethan manor house, and dated to around 1575.
It is recorded that was way back as 1532 when selective breeding started, this began the result in the many varieties domestic guinea pig breeds that are known today.